Rotator for piles of plates.



G. M. ANDERSON. v

BOTATOB FOB PILES 0F PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED M1142. 1909.

1,120,882. Patentedmeo. 15, 1914.

GUSTAI M. ANDEBSONABF WATERLOO, IOWA.

BOTATOR FOB PILES OF PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application led April 12, 1909. Serial No. 489,303.

To all whom t may concern v Be it known that I, GUs'rAF M. ANDERSON, acitizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Waterloo,Blackhawk county, Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotators for Piles of Plates, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotators for piles of plates,and the object of my improvement is the application of propell means tothe assembled liner` or separating core of a centrifugal creamseparator,adapted to impart such a motion or simultaneous rotation to same as willcleanse their surfaces of adherent matters when such core has beenimmersed in some fluid or detergent element. This object I haveaccomplished by the means which are hereinafter fully described andclaimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure l is a front elevation of my rotator as operatively connected toa pile of the assembled liner-plates of a centrifugal cream separatorhowl, the plates being shown in central vertical axial section as arecertain other parts of the connectin and supporting structure. Fig. 2 isa si e elevation of said rotator, with the latesup porting elementsbroken away. ig. 3 is a central vertical axial section of a pile ofplates and its supporting elements immersed in a vessel of fluid, withthe rotator not shown.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

The assembling and disassembling of the liner disks, plates or hollowfrusta of a centrifugal liquid separator is a difficult task, since theexactness with which the bowl must be balanced necessitates that suchdisks or frusta shall be placed in the same vertical serial order at alltimes. This requirement has led to the numbering of the disks, to insuretheir identification for proper asserting and placing in the liner.

I am aware that various devices have been adopted to be used todetachably secure the liner disks or frusta together in their usualassembled succession, and also that different lrinesjasns have beenemployed to clean such My device contemplates the use of centrifugalforce in the cleaning of such an assembled pile of disks or lates whenremoved from the separator owl. It is obvious that if there is anaccumulation of matter between the plates of such a liner and acentrifugal force of suflicient amount is generated in them by rotatingthem at a high speed, the accumulated matter will move toward the outeredges of the plates. After this is done, if the pile of lates issubmerged in water and so rotate a vortical suction is created in thewater along the axis of the rotating body because the Huid in the vesselwill pass through the passages 18 along the axis of rotation and fillthat space with a column of cleansing fluid located near the center ofrotation. and the centrifugal action then being given the plates orliners will cause such cleansing fluid to pass from the column into theinterstices between the plates and the water which passes between theplates will be swept over them, and the centrifugal action thereon willbe displayed in the voiding of the interspaces of all extraneous matter,adequately cleaning the surfaces of all the plates. The lpile of platesbeing removed, their continued rotation in the air causes an air currentto sweep in a similar manner over each plate through the interspaces,which rapidly dries the plates surfaces.

I have shown a pile of separator plates 15 as assembled and superposedin a bowl, but as removed therefrom and supported on an axial cylinder11. While the plates 15 are shown as hollow frusta, the principle ofcleaning may be applied in practice to an pile of liner plates ofwhatever form. washer 12 in the upper end and a washer 14 in the lower.end of said cylinder all'ord an axial bearin for the s indle 16, thelatter having a fi eted hea 13 to engage the washer 14. The washer 14has its edge beveled so as to be seated against the lower edge of saidcylinder.

The construction of the liner plates per se forms no part of theinvention and it is of course understood that they may assume a varietyof forms and are provided as is usual with passages 18 near the centerfor the cream and milk and into which passages when the device is beingcleansed the cleansing lluid may enter and is thence carried into theinterstices between the plates by centrifugal action caused by theactuation of the rotator.

I have shown a rotator which consists of the following elements: A framel has a handle 2, and with a cylindrical bearing for the shaft 5 of abevel-gear wheel 4. the latter provided with a crank-handle 3. nothershaft 6 is seated in bearings in said frame at an angle to the shaft 5,and a bevel-pinion 7 is secured thereto by a setscrew or pin 8. Thelower end of the shaft 6 is formed into a depending hook 9, adapted toenter an eyelet 10 formed in the upper end of' the spindle 16.

The pile of plates supported by the described structures may besubmerged in a vessel of water 17, the rotator being rapidly rotated,the fluid in the vessel or receptacle is by gravity or air pressure orboth forced into the passages back of the periphery of the plates andextending along the axis-of rotation amd thence by centrifugal actioninto the spaces between the lates so as to form lammae of fluid thereetween, when the laminae of water in the interspaces of the plates willscour the surfaces of such plates clean, the inertia of the watercausing it to move at a retarded speed less than the speed of therotating plates. A rotatory motion is set up in the water of a vorticalnature, while the water laminas are discharged at the same time from theouter edges of the plates loaded with the suspended matters carried awayfrom the plates. After cleansing, the pile of plates is lifted out ofthe water and rapidly rotated in the air, the centrifugal action drivingoff the water particles while the movin air-currents tend to dry theplates whic they pass over.

lVhile I have shown the device in the form of a bevel-gear attachment, Ido not purpose to limit myself to that s ecific construction, sinceother devices or imparting rapid rotation may be used and still comeclearly within the scope of my invention. My invention resides in theapplication by practical means of rotation to a pile of plates, wherebycentrifugal force may be caused to clean the plates when thus assembledinto a unitary structure. A practical device for accomplishing the samepurpose would be a spiral ratchet similar to those used in automaticdrills, the moving of which up or down would rotate the spiral, whichcould be a part of or connected to the shaft used to drive the core.While I show superposed frusta assembled, it is obvious that myinvention may be applied to any liner composed of a plurality of platesso arranged that the use of centrifugal force thereon will shift andtend to remove any accumulation of matter thereon and throw it towardthe outside of the pile.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureb v Letters Patent, is:

1. In an apparatus for use in cleaning cream separator sections withoutdisassembling the sections, a device adapted to engage the assembledsections, and detachable means to locate such device in engagingposition, combined with means to rotate sections in any desireddirection.

2. In an apparatus for use in cleaning cream separator sections withoutdisassembling the sections, a device adapted to engage the assembledsections, and positive rotating means flexibly connected to such devicewhereby the sections may be rotated in any desired direction.

3. In an apparatus for use in cleaning cream separator sections withoutdisassembling the sections. a device adapted to engage and support theassembled sections, independently of the separator bowl, positive meansto rotate said device and sections in any desired direction, and aflexible connection between said device and the rotating mechanl'sm.

4. In an apparatus for use in cleaning cream separator sections withoutdisassembling the sections, a device adapted to engage the assembledsections, and positive rotating means connected to such devicewherebythe sections may be rotated in any desired direction.

5. In an apparatus for use in cleaning cream separator sections withoutdisassembling the sections, the combination with in- 100 terlockingmeans to connect or disconnect the assembled sections with the rotatingmeans, and means for giving rotation to such assembled sections whenthey are thus interlocked.

6. The combination with a pile of plates constituting a liner for acream separator provided with passages through the plates and back ofthe periphery thereof and intersecting the interstices between the plaof mechanism for rotating the liner, an means for detachably connectingsaid rotating mechanism with the liner.

7. The combination with a liner for a separator comprising a pile ofplates having 115 a space between each pair of plates and provided withpassages through the plates and back of the periphery thereofintersecting the spaces-between such plates, of positive mechanism forrotating said liner, and 12b a detachable connection between suchmechanism and the liner having a flexible joint in such connection.

8. The combination with a liner for a separator comprising a pile ofplates having 125 a space between each pair of plates and with passagesthrough such plates intersecting said spaces between the plates, ofpositive mechanism for rotating the liner, and a detachable connectionbetween such mechanism 130 and the liner having a, universal joint insuch positive mechanism and the liner serv- 10 such connection. ing tointerlock them to ether or permit 9. The combination with a pile ofplates them to be se arated at Wi l. arranged as a. liner for a creamseparator Signed at aterloo, Iowa, this 30th day and provided withpassages through such of March, 1909.

plates and back of the periphery thereof GUSTAF M. ANDERSON.communicating with the spaces between the Witnesses: plates, positivemechanism for rotating the O. D. YOUNG,

liner, and a detachable connection between G. C. KENNEDY.

